Free Numbers Ignite by Rebecca Rode

service to those he has wronged. For those with missing fathers and husbands, he will provide financial support. For the children, he will find worthy parents. He will right every wrong, seek those who are lost, and become the person he should have been.”
    Mills’s smile slipped. It was obviously not the sentence he’d expected.
    The crowd murmured, a few people more vocal in their reactions than others.
    “That’s not justice!” someone called out.
    “Service?” a man shouted incredulously. “What kind of punishment is that?”
    The shouts grew in volume, tripping over each other. The audience began to inch their way forward toward the platform again, some raising fists. I had to agree with them. This wasn’t justice at all. If I knew it, they definitely knew it.
    No matter what their assembly said or did, I was as good as dead.
    An idea hit me then—something that could possibly buy me a little more time. Risky, but possible. I lifted my voice over the crowd. “A fair sentence. But with all due respect, I came here to be judged by the Hawking clan, and we have our own rules. In my clan, what you dole out is given right back. Since I caused so much pain to my people, I ask that they be allowed to return it.”
    The noise died as the audience gaped.
    Even Mills looked puzzled. “You’re saying you want to deliver yourself into the crowd?”
    “Just my clan,” I said. “I owe the others nothing.”
    I saw the emotions play out on Mills’s face as he considered it, then hid a smile. He turned to the assembly. “What say you?”
    “We do not return violence with violence,” the woman said.
    “It encourages anger and revenge,” another elder hissed. “Take him back to the prison before the crowd gets out of control.”
    Mills looked unhappy, but he nodded. The guards grabbed my shoulders and started to pull me away, but I had already made my decision.
    I swung around, knocking away their hands and leaped off the platform into the audience.
    The crowd exploded again as I landed on an unsuspecting guard, sending him flying to the ground. He hit hard and I heard a crack. I rolled sideways, tucking my fastened arms, then jumped to my feet. The settlers completely surrounded me now. Adrenaline pulsed through my body, screaming at me to run. I could do it. Unless somebody had a stunner and incredible aim, I could fight my way to the trail right now.
    But then I saw my mother. She stood with one hand over her mouth. The gray in her hair was more prominent, her eyes lined with wrinkles. Silent communication passed between us. Finally, she gave a slight nod.
    I shoved away the instinct to run. The time would come, but not yet. Instead, I went against everything my brain was telling me and stopped. The crowd that pressed around me grew thicker and louder, arms jostling and pushing me around. Wylin Newport stepped forward, his hands already forming fists. He was the oldest son of Stuart Newport, one of the men we’d arrested on our last Meridian raid. Wylin’s father had been executed on a public broadcast. Service wouldn’t bring him back.
    “Well?” I shouted toward him. “You’ve wanted to punish me for what I did. Here’s your chance.”
    “Guards, stop this!” the assembly chair shrieked. The guards looked confused and conflicted; some bent over the unfortunate man I’d landed on. But none looked willing to leave their posts to protect a prisoner.
    A few people hung back, but several seemed eager to take me up on my offer of revenge. They immediately formed a line. A figure pushed through the crowd and emerged, shoving his way to the front. Anton.
    He sized me up and down. “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do this.”
    “Didn’t realize you were waiting for permission,” I said.
    Anton’s face darkened and he took a step forward.

 
     
     
     

     
    Getting permission to start a school wasn’t difficult. It was finding students that was the problem.
    Lillibeth didn’t seem very